


Misumena

by habenaria_radiata



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Anal Sex, Angst, F/M, Loss of Virginity, Mutual Pining, Pseudo-Incest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-19
Updated: 2017-03-19
Packaged: 2018-10-07 19:13:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10367487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/habenaria_radiata/pseuds/habenaria_radiata
Summary: Corrin's love for her little brother twisted through her body like vines. Rather than the sweet flowers of familial bond, they bloomed into thorny blossoms that pierced her from the inside out, tangled and heavy and impossible to uproot.Pre-Fates.Commission for Superslut.





	

* * *

 

  
    Corrin was certain the world conspired to keep her siblings away from her. The morning they were scheduled to leave for the fortress, poor Elise caught a wicked fever that demanded several days of bed rest. Corrin was relieved to hear of her recovery, but no sooner had she received word of it when the skies grew dark and ominous. The storms were so heavy that travel was hell, and their departure was delayed another week.  
  
    She was sure to expire before they finally came home to her. Their weeks apart had stretched to more than an entire month. She could not remember the last time they'd been away for so long. The void her siblings left in their wake ached more fiercely with each passing day, and while their absence could hardly be helped, acknowledging the fact didn't make it any easier to bear. She spent more and more time holed up in the library, passing her lonely days buried between the pages of as many books as she could consume.  
  
    She was sprawled on a chaise before the fire with a book spread out in her lap when Felicia found her. Corrin tilted her head back to see the girl peering over her from behind the chaise, and she offered her a sweet smile. "Are you alright, Lady Corrin?"  
  
    "Of course. I'm fine, Felicia. Thanks for checking on me." Corrin knew she'd been a despondent mess. She felt horrible that her retainers had to deal with her in such a sulky mood. Corrin pushed herself up onto her hands to sit up and stretch. There was no telling how long she'd been lying like that, but given the way her back and shoulders protested, Corrin imagined it was quite awhile. "I'm sorry I've been such a sourpuss. It's not like me."  
  
    Felicia smiled again and stepped around the chaise. "It's okay, my lady. Just one more week, right? We understand." There was still a tea tray propped on the table. Jakob had brought it to her when she'd first slipped into the library that morning, and it was long empty. Felicia plucked the lid off and peeked into the kettle. "Would you like me to bring you some more tea? Er, I'll ask Jakob to make it first and then bring it to you. That's probably better."  
  
    Corrin snorted at her in amusement, but she didn't go so far as to agree. "Thank you. I'd really appreciate that." As soon as she said it, Corrin winced. Felicia moved to pick up the tray by one end, and it tilted so hard the tea kettle slid straight off the edge and bounced off the ground.  
  
    "A- Ahh! I'm so sorry!" Poor Felicia nearly dropped the tray in her attempt to collect the kettle, but Corrin was quick to pick it up from the floor and support the other side of the tray with her free hand.  
  
    "No harm done," she assured her. With a loveworn sort of smile, Corrin placed the metal teapot back onto the tray and squeezed her arm. "There we go." She walked Felicia to the doors of the library and opened them up for her lest she drop her load again. As Felicia went on her hunt for Jakob, Corrin leaned against the door frame and watched her go.  
  
    One more week. Felicia was correct. Was she truly so lonely she couldn't stand the thought of going only seven more days without her siblings?  
  
    Perhaps it was simply impatience gnawing at her. The last time they'd visited, she had very nearly disarmed Xander. She was closing the gap between them with every match, and Corrin knew it. She could nearly taste the freedom at the edge of her lips.  
  
    But it was equally likely that Corrin was simply being a spoiled brat. She was so used to them coming every few weeks, as reliable and punctual as clockwork, that this sudden gap was harder to swallow. Everything in the fortress reminded her of what she didn't have. The grounds always made her think of Xander and his unforgiving training sessions. She couldn't go to the gardens without being reminded of Elise rolling in the grass and bringing her colorful flower crowns. Even her own bedroom made her think of Camilla and how her adoring older sister would bring all sorts of gifts to fill her shelves. The last time she had come, she brought Corrin a beautifully carved hair brush, and they sat together on Corrin's bed while Camilla pulled the bristles through her hair.  
  
    The last place Corrin considered a refuge was the library, but it was woefully empty without Leo. She missed him so much. She'd finished the book he recommended weeks ago, and she was dying to discuss it with him. She missed his presence beside her. She missed the way he would sit with his ankle propped up on his knee, one elbow nestled in the crook of the sofa's arm and his body tilted towards her while they read. Melancholy swept through her as forcefully as an ocean wave. She sighed and dropped her head back against the wood of the frame with a soft thump, and she let her eyes flutter shut.  
  
    "Is this what you do while we're away, sister?"  
  
    Corrin's eyes snapped open. She dropped her head and craned her neck after Felicia, not entirely convinced that she hadn't just hallucinated her little brother's voice echoing through the hallways. But when she turned her head the other way, her entire face lit up like the sun.  
  
    "Leo!!"  
  
    She loved saying his name. _Leo_. She loved it almost as much as she loved the man it belonged to. The shape of every letter in her mouth perfectly encapsulated how she felt each time he came to visit: the joyous skip of her tongue between her teeth; the pull of a tender smile around the long 'e'; the way her lips pursed around the 'o' like a kiss goodbye. A lion he was not, but Corrin thought it suited him all the same.  
  
    Corrin threw her arms around him, squeezing him close and pressing her cheek to the side of his neck. He stiffened against her, but his hands came to rest against the small of her back anyway. When she pulled away from him, her hands lifted to cup his face in elation. "What are you doing here?! Where are the others?"  
  
    Leo merely shrugged. "I was bored of waiting, so I came on my own. The others will probably arrive in a few days. Conditions are not nearly so tragic as we were led to believe."  
  
    He came on his own. In all the time she'd lived in the fortress, Leo had never done such a thing. Corrin was touched. She smiled back at him feeling overcome. "This is a lovely surprise. I'm so happy to see you, Leo."  
  
    The expression he wore suggested it was hardly such a big deal, but Corrin noticed the tiny upturn in the corner of his lips. "It was hardly for your benefit alone, sister. I was tired of waiting to hear back from you on our last book."  
  
    Corrin laughed. "Oh, yes! Flatterer. You'll forgive me if I don't believe you find my opinions all that intriguing." She took him by the elbow to guide him into the library so he could sit down and rest after his trip. No doubt he was tired, especially since he'd made the journey by himself. "Are your things still packed up?"  
  
    Leo sank down on the sofa across from the chaise she had abandoned. "The staff is already taking care of it." Corrin watched him get comfortable. He pulled into a long stretch before he propped his ankle against his knee and leaned into the arm. He looked as if he'd never even left her at all. Softly, Corrin frowned, and she dropped down to sit beside him.  
  
    "...I really missed you," she said.  
  
    Something she couldn't quite identify flashed across his face before it smoothed over again. He was really very beautiful. Of the four of them, Corrin felt that Leo had the closest resemblance to Xander, though his features were far more delicate. Xander had a stronger jaw and nose with a subtle bump along the bridge. Leo's was a perfect slope and slightly upturned at the tip. But they both had the same rich brown eyes that were warmer than most would credit them.  
  
    Leo looked away first and nodded slowly. "I missed you too." He dropped both feet to the ground and leaned forward to dig through the bag he'd dropped there. In short order, he produced a heavy tome that he offered to her. "For you. Since you liked Somnio so much, I picked this one up."  
  
    She took it gleefully. Her fingers slid between Leo's own, rolling across the smooth leather binding. She could already smell the new pages even before she opened it, and she breathed in the scent of paper and leather with a sigh. "Thank you so much. I'm sure I'll love it." She watched the smile courting his lips quirk up into a sweet smirk, and he ducked his head.  
  
    "I know you will," he agreed. His easy confidence made her laugh. As he released the book, Corrin gripped it tightly to her chest. Though the rest of her siblings had not arrived, she still felt as if the world had righted itself once more.  
  
    Leo leaned towards her once more and pulled out a second book that he opened with a flourish. They settled in together before the fire, side by side, Leo with his elbow nestled in the crook of the sofa and Corrin with her legs curled up on the couch.  
  
    Like he'd never left at all.

-

  
    Distantly, she heard Camilla speaking to someone. Corrin opened her eyes in a haze, her body heavy and draped over the back of a sofa. Ah. It was Jakob. He stood beside Camilla politely, his hands clasped behind him and his eyes roving dutifully over the woman's face. She was smiling as she talked, her hands animated and her hips swinging to and fro. Corrin couldn't understand what her sister was saying, but Jakob was laughing. It was the hollow laugh of someone who was not even remotely amused, but who also valued having a job more than he valued having an opinion.  
  
    She felt her hips push hard into the couch, and she gasped. Sweat rolled down the side of her throat and dripped off her collarbone as she watched them stand in front of her, not even paying her half a mind. Someone was fucking her, their thin fingers digging into the bones of her hips as they steamrolled into her from behind, her stomach boiling with heat and her toes digging into the carpet.  
  
    Corrin felt herself reach for Camilla as another violent thrust rocked her into the back of the couch, but Camilla ignored her, still engrossed in her one-sided conversation with Jakob. It should have hurt. Did it hurt?  
  
    No.  
  
    It was fast and hard and blisteringly hot, and Corrin liked it.  
  
    With a start, Corrin's eyes snapped open. Her heart jumped hard, but her body was still and sluggish with sleep. Disoriented, she lay there for a moment longer and tried to get her bearings.  
  
    When she finally did, she squeezed her eyes shut. Nausea settled deep in her stomach and at the back of her throat. She hadn't needed to turn around in her dream to know.  
  
    Leo.  
  
    Her insides felt shriveled as she sat up, her temple coming away from Leo's shoulder. He was still asleep against the couch, a book clutched loosely in his fingers. The longer she looked at him, the worse she felt. Gods, she thought those dreams had finally left her. It had been years. She'd been certain that they ceased tormenting her as soon as puberty was done with her, but...  
  
    She sat up and shoved her fingertips to her eyelids, and she pressed against them until stars burst across her vision. She hadn't realized they'd stayed up so late. She remembered eating dinner with him and talking the night away, but eventually they'd settled in to read together. Obviously she wasn't going to remember falling asleep, but it was still disconcerting to think about.  
  
    Especially after waking up from that. Corrin swallowed and chanced another glance at Leo. His face was smooth in sleep. He looked more content than he ever did awake, no doubt because he was blissfully unaware that his sister was having horrible sex dreams about him.  
  
    She jerked away from him and sat against the other arm of the couch, curling up tightly and trying to shove it to the back of her head. Why now? She thought she'd dealt with this. She thought she was over it.  
  
    Beside her, Leo shifted, and the book slid out of his grip and onto the floor. Corrin was surprised the soft thud didn't wake him, but she was also grateful. She wasn't sure she could face him just yet. She knew that she could hardly control her own dreams, but no amount of logic could ease the disgust that clawed at her. Leo deserved better than her.  
  
    She sat there until the shameful heat between her legs eventually dissipated, leaving her feeling cold and empty instead. It was better than the alternative, at least. As good as it felt, that soft heat came with a heavy dose of shame. Corrin's heart sank inside her, and she dropped her chin against her knees. She had been so excited to have some time alone with her little brother, but, as with all things, the reality of it proved far more bittersweet than she had anticipated.  
  
    Several minutes passed in silence. The fire had burned itself so low that the library was almost entirely dark. Corrin pushed forward once more and studied Leo's face in the faint orange glow of the embers. He was going to be so uncomfortable if she let him stay that way until morning, and her own guilt didn't feel like an adequate excuse to just leave him there. She climbed to her feet and leaned over him, sliding one arm beneath his knees and the other beneath his shoulders. Leo was taller than her by now, but he wasn't a great deal heavier. With great care, Corrin lifted him from the cushions, and she nearly dropped him as his eyes flickered open.  
  
    Leo shook his head, his eyes heavy and his lips pursed as he made a noise at her. "What on earth are you doing?" he mumbled. Corrin stared down at him, her cheeks and her shoulders hot with embarrassment. For a split second, she feared he could see her dream written on her face.  
  
    "Er, I was taking you to bed."  
  
    Leo squinted at her. "Seriously?" He reached up to rub the heel of his palm against his eye as he tried to rouse himself. He'd obviously been deeply asleep, and she felt all the worse for waking him. "Honestly. I'm not a child. You don't have to tuck me in."  
  
    "That's not-" Even her embarrassment wasn't enough to curtail the fact that she actually felt a little bit offended. "I didn't want you to wake up sore and cranky in the morning." Too late, it would seem. She shifted with her arms still around him and sighed. "I'm sorry I woke you. It wasn't my intention."  
  
    "Mm." Leo hummed back at her before he finally tilted his head and stared at her face. "...Are you going to put me down?"  
  
    Corrin scowled at him, but she acquiesced nevertheless. She eased him back onto the sofa so he could sit up and stretch after being in the same position for so long. She had no idea how long they'd been asleep, but from the way he grimaced as he pulled his arms in front of himself, she felt pretty confident she could take a guess. Leo fell slack once again and reached up to smooth his hair down. It amused her to no end that he still felt the need to do so even when there was literally no one else around to see him looking anything less than his best.  
  
    After a beat, Corrin rubbed at her arm. "I really am sorry," she told him. "I was hoping not to do exactly that."  
  
    "It's fine." Leo smothered a long yawn. He looked a little more lucid by now, and he turned to regard Corrin. "I suppose we should turn in, then. I can't believe we fell asleep."  
  
    "Ah- at least let me walk you to your room." The sentence left her mouth before she was prepared, and Corrin immediately wanted to take it back. Leo stared at her in such a way that only intensified the desire until she found herself praying for the stones to fall out from beneath her. She had a hard time imagining anyone else having as thorough a command of scorn as Leo did.  
  
    "Are you afraid I'll get lost?" he asked, tossing her a slightly disbelieving smirk. She couldn't quite keep the sour frown from tugging at the corners of her lips.  
  
    "You're still half asleep, and I've been awake for awhile. I'm just trying to look out for you, that's all." Ugh, she sounded defensive even to herself. Corrin's shoulders stiffened, and she stepped away from him and straightened her skirts. "Good night, then. I'll see you in the morning."  
  
    "Wait." Corrin jumped as she felt his hand come around her elbow. She turned to see him using her for support as he pulled himself up, and he brushed off the front of his shirt. "If it's that important to you, then alright. Lead the way."  
  
    Leo followed her out of the library. He was adorably sleep-ruffled and clearly still tired. He was a little less graceful than he usually was when he wasn't so heavy with sleep, but Corrin found it endlessly charming. She hesitated before she took his arm, and together they made their way through the fortress. The halls were eerily silent. Corrin almost never stayed up later than her retainers. It was surreal to traverse the stone hallways and hear nothing but her own foot steps bouncing between the walls.  
  
    When they arrived at Leo's quarters, Corrin turned to him and fell still. He looked back at her with raised brows, clearly expecting her to speak. She did not, however, and the silence between them eventually became oppressively heavy. Finally, Corrin sighed and dropped her eyes. "I'm sorry for treating you like a child. I didn't mean to."  
  
    Her apology obviously caught Leo off-guard. He stared at her awhile longer before he folded his arms and leaned against the door. "I know you didn't." His voice was heavy with amusement. "Relax. I wasn't as offended as all that. Thank you for looking out for me."  
  
    A tentative smile seized her. "That's what I'm here for."  
  
    He paused long enough to yawn again and pushed the door open behind him. He definitely needed more sleep. "Good night, sister," he murmured to her, one hand curled around the edge of the door. Corrin stared at him. The guilt inside her curdled like milk. Sister. She couldn't recall the last time he'd called her by her first name. It had never struck her as a hard word, but the more he said it, the sharper it sounded, like a hammer striking the final nail in the wall between them.  
  
    Corrin inhaled between her teeth and nodded back to him. "...Good night, Leo," she bid, and she turned away from her little brother to make her way to her own quarters.  
  
    It was such a petty thing to dislike. She deserved the constant reminder of exactly what she was. She was his older sister. It was her responsibility to offer him the love her title and her blood demanded. Familial. Innocent. Unselfish. _Storge_.  
  
    But nothing could ever be simple. Only a part of her hated it. Another part of her, an ugly, filthy curl in her belly unfurled and wound its way through her insides as Leo's voice reverberated in her head once again.  
  
     _Sister_ , he said. His voice was so beautiful.  
  
    Those dark vines slid through her and quivered in pleasure.  
  
    Part of her liked it.

  
-

 

    Corrin did not sleep the rest of the night. She was still curled up by the dead fire when the sun rose above the windowsills, brightening the library with muted sunlight. The glass always made it look so yellow that the days seemed sunnier than they were. It was novel to be able to watch the light shift across the floor the higher the sun rose -- usually, she was either still asleep or getting in early morning training. She listened to the sounds of the fortress waking around her and closed her eyes.  
  
    It would have been nice if she could have dragged her mind out of the pit of self-loathing it was mired in. She'd convinced herself it was over and done with. She had believed the dreams were a product of being trapped and isolated. After all, what did a bird born inside a cage dream of?  
  
    She shifted and felt the weight of the book spread open across her stomach as it slid down further to rest on her thighs. Perhaps that was what had spurred that damnable dream. The book was genuinely interesting, presenting a fictionalized account of a real royal family and its many blood feuds with the nobles it purported to lead. She just hadn't expected it to feature a pair of siblings having an incestuous (and scandalously graphic) affair, which had led to a dramatic and grisly death or five. Corrin felt silly for being irritated about it when it was hardly as though other books had neatly printed warnings detailing what they contained, but even so, she sort of wished it had.  
  
    The shatter of glass brought her back to attention. Corrin snorted a bit as Felicia's muffled apology filtered through the library door. The sound of it grew clearer as the door swung open, and Corrin turned to see Leo letting himself inside. Her insides twisted themselves into a cold knot.  
  
    "If it were anyone but Felicia, I'd assume I offend," Leo noted with a mild frown. "One would think I stepped out of a swamp this morning."  
  
    "Well...it is odd that you're here alone," Corrin pointed out. "You probably just startled her."  
  
    "I suppose that's fair." Leo paused and looked at her oddly. "Have you been here since last night?"  
  
    "Wh- no," Corrin lied immediately. She hadn't even changed out of her clothes from yesterday, so it wasn't the most elegant lie she'd ever attempted. She felt foolish for trying when Leo lifted an eyebrow at her. He obviously agreed. Fortunately for her nerves, he didn't question her further. He eyed the book resting against her belly and reached for it curiously.  
  
    "You're not reading the one I brought?" he asked, plucking it out of her lap. In a smooth motion, he flipped it closed around two of his fingers to hold her place as he read the title. Her entire face grew so hot she was afraid the tips of her ears would begin to smolder.  
  
    "Er, no, I wanted to wait until you went back home so I'd have something new to tide me over. Besides, I was hoping to finish this one before I picked up anything else." She prayed that finishing it would prevent anymore nightmares, but she recognized that her hope was likely in vain.  
  
    "I see." Leo skimmed the first page curiously, his brows lifting and his eyes lighting up. Of course he'd be interested in a historical novel, even if it was fictionalized. "It _is_ your turn to pick, you know. Can I consider this your recommendation?"  
  
    She wanted to blurt out that he absolutely could not. Her stomach roiled in protest, but Corrin nevertheless shoved her reservations away and held her hands open. Leo glanced at her and cracked her book back open to the pages she'd been on. Gently, he set it on her palms. "Sure," she said. Damn it. She hadn't been ready! "Do you want me to bring it to you when I'm finished?"  
  
    Leo tossed his head. "No need. I'll have someone fetch a copy for me." Without waiting for an invitation, he dropped down to sit beside her and drew himself into a full-bodied stretch. "I did see Flora this morning."  
  
    His shirt lifted just enough to bare a thin sliver of skin. Corrin refused to look down at it and focused on his face. "Oh?"  
  
    "She said she'd have breakfast delivered here. I hope you don't mind." Leo paused and offered her a warm smirk. "I don't suspect you do, given how much of your time you devote to being here."  
  
    As he spoke, Corrin found herself staring at his lips. It was as though Leo didn't feel he could simply be amused or happy without a hint of wryness, like he felt the need to prove that at no time at all did the gravity of all things ever escape him. Truthfully, the twist of his mouth when he smirked was very attractive, but she found herself wishing for a smile that didn't have a taste of detached irony to it.  
  
    "...Corrin?"  
  
    She shook her head and blinked. "Of course. That sounds wonderful, Leo." She was being ridiculous. They were both adults, and it was a mistake to let herself regret that the realities of life had touched him enough to show in his eyes and on his lips.  
  
    Leo let it go without comment. They both sank against the back of the sofa and buried their noses in their respective books, though Corrin struggled a great deal more than he did given her reading material. Some irrational part of her was convinced that Leo would glance over her arm and see the word 'incest' in blazing red letters across the page. Corrin could barely focus, and she was close to giving up entirely when the library door opened a second time.  
  
    "Breakfast for you, my lady!"  
  
    "Felicia?" Corrin leaned forward in surprise, and she was somewhat amused to see the cross expression that flickered over Leo's face. Clearly, they'd both been expecting Flora.  
  
    "Yes, ma'am! I wanted to make it up to Lord Leo for this morning." She whisked her way into the library balancing a precarious tray on her shoulder, her grip so tight that her hand was shaking a bit. Corrin wanted to help her, but she was afraid she might throw the poor girl off if she tried. Felicia was obviously concentrating hard, her face set in a nervous sort of scowl and her feet moving in a rigid line.  
  
    She made it to the little table in front of them and moved to ease the tray down when Leo jerked away from her. He tried to stand and hit the edge of the table, knocking the tray sideways and sending the tea kettle careening. Corrin couldn't think of anything else to do. She threw her arm over him as hot tea spilled over them both.  
  
    "O- Oh, gods! I'm so sorry!!" Felicia went pale in an instant. She dropped the other side of the tray onto the table with a little bounce and scrambled to wipe Leo's shirt with her sleeve. His face was twisted in pain and irritation, but even as Corrin winced, he took a deep breath and stripped his shirt off.  
  
    "It's my fault. I shouldn't have moved."  
  
    "But-"  
  
    "No. It is. I apologize, Felicia." He used his shirt to mop up any remaining liquid on his skin, and Corrin was startled as he grabbed her wrist and did the same to her forearm. Her normally pale skin was as bright, livid red as Leo's stomach.  
  
    Corrin turned to Felicia and squeezed her hand. "He's right. Chin up! Would you mind bringing us some burn salve?"  
  
    "Y- Yes, of course. Right away." Felicia hurried out of the library and returned with the salve. Corrin hesitated before she took it from her and smacked a kiss to the girl's cheek.  
  
    "I'll take it from here. Go catch your breath. Everything is fine!" It took a bit of coaxing before Felicia felt comfortable enough to leave them with a flustered bow. As soon as she was gone, Corrin clutched tighter at the jar and knelt down in front of Leo. Immediately, she regretted not letting Felicia do it instead.  
  
    She unscrewed the lid and dipped her fingers into the salve. Carefully, she spread it across Leo's stomach while he watched her with a sullen frown. Corrin glanced up at him and offered her brother a soft smile. "That was sweet of you. What you said."  
  
    He actually looked slightly embarrassed before his face went blank once more. Corrin tittered at him and went back to coating his scalded skin. "It was only the truth," he asserted. " _Honestly_." He sounded so annoyed that she would dare praise him for such a thing that she couldn't help laughing at him.  
  
    "You're so crabby this morning! Just take the compliment gracefully."  
  
    Really, Corrin adored that her beloved Leo was a Cancer. It suited him. Even the sound of his name invoked the image of one; the way her tongue lashed out between her teeth and retreated back into her mouth reminded her of an irritable crab hiding in its shell.  
  
    She soon finished treating his burn and moved to put the lid back on when Leo caught her wrist again. He looked terribly sour as he turned her arm over. "You burned yourself, Corrin." It threw her off enough she fell still. As much as she wanted to relish in him actually using her name, the tone he used ruined her ability to savor the moment. She huffed at him and pursed her lips.  
  
    "You say that like I'm the first person in history who has ever done something dumb and ill-advised for someone she loves. I saw it coming and I didn't want it to hurt you. I just did it without thinking."  
  
    He had no sharp rebuttal for that. Instead, Leo took the jar from her and applied the salve to her forearm. She hadn't really noticed the sting of it until he started, but the cold moisture soon soothed it away. He was silent as he worked, his fingers methodical but exquisitely gentle.  
  
    Heat worse than the tea boiled up inside her. She couldn't bring herself to look at his face, so she was left with staring at his bare abdomen. People always teased him for being reedy. A bookworm. Corrin knew better. He wasn't as elegant as Xander with one, but nevertheless, he knew how to use a sword. His body proved as much, corded as it was with more impressive muscles than most would expect.  
  
    Her insides turned to water, churning miserably the lower she looked. His skin was still red, but it was fading little by little, and the burn dipped ever so slightly beneath the hem of his pants.  
  
    Corrin swallowed and tried not to acknowledge this hideous lust she felt for her little brother.  
  
    A bitter voice arose in her. _Half-brother_ , it hissed at her.  
  
    "Better?" Corrin looked up to meet the piercing stare of Leo's dark brown eyes.  
  
    "Yes," she lied.  
  
    Another voice bit at her like an ugly laugh.  
  
    Sins did not come in halves.

  
-

  
    Corrin felt numb as Elise's skinny arms encircled her waist. "Big sister!" For being such a tiny slip of a thing, Elise's grip was nearly crushing. "I missed you so much!!" A forced smile tugged at her mouth, and Corrin held her back.  
  
    "I missed you too, Elise."  
  
    Even as she doted on her baby sister, Corrin's attention did not waver. Leo's gaze was heavy between her shoulder blades, near tangible enough to touch. From the corner of her eye, she could see him leaning against the wall with his arms folded. She couldn't see his face without looking at him more fully, but she didn't need to see it to know that a cool, impassive expression had settled over it.  
  
    Before Elise could pull away, a yet more powerful set of arms encircled her. Camilla sandwiched Elise between them with a sweet coo, and she kissed Corrin's forehead. "Darling! It feels like it's been an _eternity_!"  
  
    A bead of sweat dipped between the ridges of her spine. She wasn't sure if she was so intensely aware of it because of Leo's stare or if something else was needling at her. He hadn't said anything to their sisters at all.  
  
    "It has. I'm so glad you're back," Corrin heard herself say. She tugged her hands out from between Camilla's torso and Elise's back to embrace her older sister. Elise was still squirming between them.  
  
    What was wrong with her? She should be ecstatic to have all her siblings home. And she was -- sort of. But a sense of bitterness sat stubbornly at the back of her throat and reminded her that she hadn't been ready for them to arrive. She was still reeling from another filthy dream.  
  
    Ice sat in her stomach like stone. He was on the couch again, his knees spread and his head tilted back and his lips opened up in the wake of a gorgeous moan. The fire roared beside her, but all she could feel was tea scalding against her tongue as she sucked it off his delicate skin. Corrin stiffened hard in Camilla's arms and tightened her fingers.  
  
    Gods. She didn't want them there. She had hoped so badly to deal with her selfish desires before they came.  
  
    Or, perhaps more truthfully, she wanted Leo to herself a few more days.  
  
    Savagely, Corrin dragged those thoughts into the murky depths of her head and forced herself to pay attention to her sisters. If nothing else, she hoped that their presence in the fortress would distract her from the lurid swirl of thoughts that harassed her at every quiet moment.  
  
    "Corrin? What's wrong, sweetheart?" Camilla murmured.  
  
    She inhaled sharply and lifted her jaw. "I'm fine." Corrin smiled so brightly that she looked like she truly was. "I missed you so much." They both let go of each other at the same time, and Elise took an exaggeratedly deep breath and coughed.  
  
    "Jeez! Camilla, you're way too strong!"  
  
    Corrin tilted her head, and she watched Camilla smile for Leo as the woman patted at Elise's narrow shoulders. "It's nice to see you, darling. Have you enjoyed having Corrin all to yourself?"  
  
    Irritation darted across his mouth and eyes long enough for Corrin to catch it. "Camilla," he greeted. He did not deign to acknowledge her question. Camilla chuckled back at him and swept away with a hand on Elise's shoulder.  
  
    "We missed you too, dear. Come along, Elise! Let's go fetch the gifts we brought." Elise went happily, and Corrin was left in the hall with Leo. They hadn't touched him even once.  
  
    She understood that they actually lived with Leo, and this was likely the only time they'd ever been apart for him for any substantial amount of time. Still, it felt wrong that they should bathe her in so much attention when 'cordial' was as far as she'd go to describe how they were to Leo. Slowly, Corrin looked over to him. He hadn't moved an inch. "...Are you okay?"  
  
    Leo was quiet for a short time. He pushed himself away from the wall with one foot and stepped away from her with a short nod. "Of course, sister." He disappeared before Camilla returned with her bag of gifts, leaving Corrin to a sudden, yawning silence.  
  
    He didn't have much to say to her through the remainder of the day.  
  
    In fairness to him, Camilla kept her quite busy. She bustled Corrin off to her room to go through the gifts she'd brought, and when that was done, Elise dragged her out into the gardens so they could spend some time in the sunshine before the rain in the distance threatened to return.  
  
    Dinner was a busy affair as well. Corrin reported her progress to Xander. While he'd been away, Gunter resumed training duties, and he was every bit as punishing as Xander was. It wasn't until night enshrouded the fortress that she was afforded any time with Leo, but to her dismay, Elise and Camilla insisted on joining them.  
  
    Corrin felt horrible for being so miffed about it. She hadn't seen anyone but Leo in more than a month. She should be glad that her sisters wanted to spend so much time with her. And she was, really. She was just also ever so slightly impatient.  
  
    She leaned back further into the sofa and coaxed Elise after her. Elise snuggled happily between her calves while Corrin played with her hair, and behind the sofa, Camilla stood playing with Corrin's. She could feel Camilla's fingers move with finesse as the woman braided her hair into a complicated plait Corrin could not possibly hope to replicate. Instead, she ran her fingernails along Elise's scalp and stroked at her thick waves of blonde hair.  
  
    All the while, Leo watched them. He looked as if he were reading, but Corrin caught his eyes enough times to know better. Something in his book was agitating him, which could have explained his inability to concentrate. Leo usually shut out anything else when he was reading something that engrossed him. But she couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't the book alone. His eyes would flicker up to Camilla, then down to Elise, then back to his book. The hard line between his brows never left his face.  
  
    Corrin could not recall a single time she'd ever seen Camilla do this sort of thing to Leo. Obviously she couldn't braid his hair, but she didn't pet him either, or rub at his back and shoulders like she'd done for Corrin a million times.  
  
    Why?  
  
    It was not a question of Camilla's love. She knew that Camilla loved them all deeply, and Corrin frequently heard the way she would fuss over Leo when he wasn't around. Their sister obviously noticed when he stayed up late studying, and any time he achieved something special back at Krakenburg, Corrin only ever knew of it because Camilla told her.  
  
    "Are you okay, big sister?"  
  
    Corrin looked down to see Elise's big purple eyes turned on her. Apparently her hands had fallen still longer than she'd realized. "I'm fine." She was quick to resume toying with her hair, but she felt Camilla drop her hands to her shoulders and squeeze.  
  
    "It's been a long day, hasn't it? We've monopolized sweet Corrin all day." Corrin tilted her head back as she felt Camilla kiss at the top of her head. "We should probably leave you be. I'm quite worn out myself."  
  
    She didn't doubt it. Their first day back usually ended early when travel exhausted them all so thoroughly. Normally, it disappointed her to have to let them go; this time Corrin was simply relieved, and she leaned forward to help Elise to her feet and kiss her goodnight.  
  
    "Night, big sister! Night, Leo!"  
  
    "Good night, you two," Camilla purred. She kissed Corrin's cheek and took Elise's hand to guide her out of the library. The door swung shut behind them, and once more, Corrin found herself alone with Leo.  
  
    He remained dedicated to staying infuriatingly silent and went back to his book. He'd been in such a good mood until today. She wasn't sure what had changed it, and she looked back at him a little sadly. She wanted to kiss the scowl from between his eyes.  
  
    She found herself wondering if it bothered Leo that Camilla was so physically affectionate to everyone but him. Well, that wasn't necessarily true. She didn't touch Xander much either. Maybe Camilla thought he just wasn't interested in that sort of thing. If that was the case, Corrin could hardly blame her. Even now, she felt a paralyzing fear of doing the same. Corrin loved Leo so much her heart ached, but the idea of reaching over and putting her hands on him was nerve-wracking, to say the least.  
  
    Leo seemed to have a prickly aura that surrounded him like the hard shell of the crab he was. It wasn't even simple guilt that kept her from him. He did seem to come off as wanting nothing to do with touch, tender or otherwise. But he'd never actually said as much. Would it really be so unwelcome as she feared?  
  
    Her impulsiveness took hold of her arm, and Corrin reached for him. Her fingers slid through his pale hair until he jerked towards her in surprise. It was so soft. She was charmed by the way the ends curled towards his face ever so slightly, and the strands practically glowed in the firelight.  
  
    Leo smacked her hand away from his head. "What are you doing?" He sounded so flustered that Corrin was taken aback, and she snatched her hand back to her chest. What _was_ she doing? Gods, she should have asked him.  
  
    "I- I'm sorry, Leo. I just thought-" Corrin pursed her lips tightly, not entirely certain she actually wanted to divulge what it was she thought. It sounded stupid even before she verbalized it, and she doubted Leo would appreciate the implication that he was jealous or resentful when he hadn't even said anything to suggest it. She swallowed and pressed her hands between her thighs. "Sorry. I just thought it would be nice...since Camilla did it for me."  
  
    He stared at her, ever so slightly baffled. "Of course she did. You're her beloved sister."  
  
    He actually sounded kind of snide when he said that, to the point that Corrin was surprised to feel how deeply it hurt. Leo had always had a sharp tongue, but he'd never used it to cut her down like that. It was a comfort, though, to see the immediate contortion of regret on his face. She knew he would never intentionally hurt her feelings. With a tiny puff of breath, Leo pressed himself to the arm of the sofa, and Corrin leaned closer to him.  
  
    "Well, you're my beloved brother." Corrin felt the heat rise along her spine, but she was resolute to ignore it. "So, by that logic, I didn't think it would be odd."  
  
    Leo didn't respond to her right away. He eyed her face as they sat beside each other, his body tilted towards her and his leg draped over his knee. It would be a well-loved, familiar sight if it weren't for the look on his face.  
  
    "Forgive me. That was unbecoming of me," he muttered. Corrin frowned softly.  
  
    She hated the tension that gripped them both. She wasn't used to it. Even when she'd first become mired with doubt about what she wanted from him, she never put that on Leo. Things had been simple. She never let him know how badly she wanted him. Now she was fucking it up, and Corrin had no idea what to do to stop it.  
  
    No. That wasn't true. She did know -- she just didn't want to do it. "I'm sorry I made you uncomfortable." She pressed her thighs harder against the backs of her hands. "I should go. Good night, Leo."  
  
    Corrin hurried to stand before she could make an even bigger fool of herself, or worse, upset Leo more. She didn't get far, however; Leo grasped at her elbow as he had the other night, and she turned to see his neck flushed faintly. Her heart leaped into her throat.  
  
    "You don't- If it's that important to you, then fine." He had to force every word between his teeth. Corrin bit back a smile and covered his fingers in her own. It was the second time he'd said that to her. If he needed her to believe that he was only letting her do it for her own benefit, Corrin was more than happy to oblige him.  
  
    Her heart hammered an unsteady rhythm against her ribs. Leo dropped down onto the sofa again, and Corrin stood there like an idiot for a bit before she settled one knee on the cushion beside his thigh. As before, her fingers sifted through his silky hair, the edges of her nails skating gently along his scalp. Corrin was utterly weak to Camilla doing this for her. It was heart-breaking to think no one had done the same for Leo.  
  
    She shouldn't be doing this. She was hyper aware of every breath he stole, every tiny twitch of his lips and his brows. She wanted to memorize the sensation of his hair between her fingers. She wanted to sink into his lap and grip his face and feel the texture of his lips against her mouth. She wanted more than her sordid dreams. She wanted to _take_ him.  
  
    Corrin pulled her hands away with a ragged breath. Each filthy thought became another thorn in her belly that pierced without mercy.  
  
    She only had to lean forward a few more inches to be close enough for a kiss.  
  
    "I should let you sleep," she blurted. Corrin got to her feet again as Leo stared at her. Her heart threatened to break straight through her ribs. Why why why. Why did she think that was a good idea? "Good night, Leo." She ducked away from him, leaving him there on the couch.  
  
    "...Good night, sister," he said back to her. His voice was like a stake through her heart.  
  
     _Sis-ter_. A sneer and a curl of the lips. A word only she would consider cruel.  
  
    Miserably, she felt those ugly vines quivering inside of her, thick and hard and tangled. They had spread far and wide, so intricately wound throughout her insides that she feared she'd never be able to uproot them. They would be part of her, inextricably woven into her body and her soul until the day she died.  
  
    Corrin never wanted to hear him call her 'sister' again.  
  
    The vines wanted to hear it on his tongue over and over and over and over.

  
-

  
    She couldn't stop thinking about her first dream.  
  
    Corrin could recall every moment with more clarity than she had any desire to. They were in a room she didn't recognize. There was a fire that crackled before them, but it wasn't the same as the one in the library they liked to seek refuge in. The rest of the room was devoid of anything but a bright red rug in the middle of the floor, and Leo lay on it beside her with his legs bent at the knee.  
  
    They were both naked.  
  
    Neither of them said a word. She remembered sliding her leg over him and straddling his bony hips. Her knees pressed hard into the rug as she sank down, and all she could feel was burning. Between her legs, within her ribs, as if the fire burned inside of her rather than the hearth before them.  
  
    It didn't feel good at all, but Corrin didn't stop. Leo's beautiful hands were clutching at her hips, and she rolled up and down, her nails digging into his knees and her breath coming in short bursts. She thought it appropriate that her naked back stayed towards him the entire time. Even in her dreams, she couldn't face what she was doing to him.  
  
    Xander's arms swung so hard her sword went flying. She staggered as he hissed at her, gripping at her wrist and jerking up to look at him. Pain shot straight up to her shoulder and crouched at the back of her skull. "What is the matter with you? Pay attention, Corrin!"  
  
    Ugh. _Corrin_. Xander made her feel like a chastised child when he called her that. 'Little princess' was for the woman who pleased him. His little princess fought with grace. His little princess did not let her performance suffer for petty distractions. His little princess didn't want to fuck their younger brother. No, only _Corrin_ did that. Gritting her teeth, she ducked down to sweep her sword back into her grip and tried to retake her defensive stance. Xander did not even give her the chance. He knocked her backwards so hard she nearly lost her balance and collapsed to one knee.  
  
    "Seriously, what has gotten into you, sister?"  
  
    Corrin's head snapped towards the second voice, and she glared hotly in Leo's direction even as she struggled to a stand. His input was the last fucking thing she needed right then. What a cold-hearted question. She wanted to spit his own name at him, but that irritating voice at the back of her head vibrated with tinny laughter. The problem wasn't that he'd gotten into her -- it was that he hadn't.  
  
    Siegfried came at her in another violent arc that nearly caught her by surprise. She only blocked it at the last moment, forcing her attention back to Xander and leaping to the side to avoid another swing. He was brutal today, and she was in no position to defend against it.  
  
    She was going to lose simply because she couldn't get her head on straight. It infuriated Corrin to no end. Xander had already backed her into a corner, to the point where she could only defend. Why didn't he just end it? Why was he making her drag this humiliation out while Leo's eyes dug into her like nails?  
  
    Anger blistered up in her. Xander offered her no quarter whatsoever. He pushed harder and harder, his face set in a stony scowl. She should have just told him she wasn't feeling well. She should have just told him no. Not today. His little princess was out of commission.  
  
    From the corner of her eye, she could see Leo straining towards her with frustration twisting his features. "Corrin," he ground out, "what are you doing? Focus!"  
  
    Corrin snapped. She felt something bestial bubbling in her throat until a strangled noise burst from someone who could not possibly have been her. She slammed forward, her feet gouging dark lines out of the grass and soil as she threw her entire weight against Xander and his stupid fancy sword. She knocked him flat onto his back and whirled on her little brother with a snarl crouching at the back of her tongue. "Shut _up_ , Leo!"  
  
    Corrin did not even wait for him to respond. She sheathed her sword with a sharp scrape of metal and spun away from him, storming into the fortress and trying desperately to collect herself.  
  
    What the hell was wrong with her? She was alienating the only family she had in record time. Would that she could have learned her way around the sword as efficiently as she had learned how to make her siblings hate her. Was she trying to push Leo away before her filthy desires could? It wasn't as though that would hurt any less than his leaving her in disgust.  
  
    Overwhelmed, Corrin retreated to her room and shut herself up for the rest of the day. Her nerves felt flayed open and raw. She had yelled at him. She'd never yelled at any of her siblings before, at least not that she could recall. It nauseated her. That voice hadn't even sounded like her own. It felt as if some beastly dragon had uncurled from her stomach and unleashed a flurry of fire from her mouth that burned her infinitely worse than it had Leo. What was she going to do? She had to fix it before they left again and locked the gate behind them permanently.  
  
    Really, there weren't many options at her disposal. Either she could keep it from him, let it keep festering like this until she drove Leo away entirely, or she could tell him the truth and let him wash his hands of her of his own accord. Neither of those options were remotely appealing to her, but everything else she considered seemed like little more than pointless naiveté.  
  
    If nothing else, she could, at least, apologize to him until a better option presented itself to her. She wanted to apologize regardless, but dinner time came and passed by the time Corrin felt like she could finally face him again. With dread clenching at her lungs, Corrin let herself into the library to see Leo by himself. He was sitting on the chaise.  
  
    Discomfort stabbed at the back of her neck. Leo never used the chaise. He always sat himself on the left side of the sofa where he could be closest to the fire. She wasn't sure what to make of it until she eased down across from him. She understood with an acute, visceral pain when she looked down and saw that he had put the table between them.  
  
    He stared at her over the edge of the book in his hands. Oh. That book. He'd found another copy, it would seem. She met his gaze until the chill down her spine proved too much.  
   
    Leo was pissed at her.  
  
    He didn't even have to open his mouth for her to feel the full brunt of it lance through her. "Leo," she started. "I'm sorry I yelled at you like that. I shouldn't have."  
  
    He didn't respond immediately. Corrin hadn't expected him to, but it still made her desperately uncomfortable. Finally, he offered her a short nod and dropped his eyes to the pages. "It's fine. I should have kept my mouth shut. No one likes an opinionated spectator."  
  
    He almost sounded like he was trying to make a joke, but the humor was pointedly absent from every inch of his face. Corrin pursed her lips tightly.  
  
    If he didn't want to talk about it, then she wasn't going to press the matter. She ducked her head and reached for the tome she'd left on the cushions the night before. "Then may I read with you?"  
  
    Leo hesitated. Something like doubt flashed briefly over his face. To her surprise, Corrin felt another pierce of intense anger, but she swallowed it with a great deal of effort. He nodded shortly. "Sure."  
  
    Silence lapsed over them once more, and Corrin was left to stare at him. He seriously didn't want her there. She knew it was shitty of her to yell at him, but she had never imagined he would be this mad about it, especially after a sincere apology. As badly as she wanted to say something, Corrin bit her tongue quite literally. She pulled the book to her, but she made no attempt to actually read it. She focused on her own breathing, measuring each slow pull of air through her nose lest she let her anger get the best of her a second time. She also watched Leo.  
  
    Leo's face was usually carefully neutral at all times, like he couldn't stand for it to be known what he felt at any given moment. She was intimately familiar with his poker face. She liked it, even. But in that moment, it was not like that at all. The longer they sat together, the deeper his brows furrowed. His lips pressed into a harsh line. He was _angry_.  
  
    A hard slam startled her so badly that she reared back into the couch until her spine dug into it. Leo threw the book forward, its pages splayed open and his teeth grit. Corrin stared back at him in shock. "What is this?" His voice hit her ears like a blizzard. "Why are you doing this?"  
  
    "What are you talking about?"  
  
    She shouldn't have asked. She knew damn well that he meant the book. Corrin's heart raced as she leaned forward to see the pages. Oh.  
  
     _Oh_.  
  
    She only had to skim for a few seconds to know exactly what had so offended him. She'd read these pages to herself a dozen times in her craving to know that she was not alone in her shame. That others might want what she wanted. That they might have actually done what she wasn't brave enough to try. Guilt and fear and nausea clawed their way up her throat. She leaned away from him again and was suddenly grateful to have the table separating them.  
  
    Leo's stare was penetrating in a way she abjectly hated. His cheeks and his neck were flushed, and his face was awash in betrayal. "Are you mocking me, Corrin?"  
  
    The blood rushed in her ears. He didn't sound enraged. Wrath would have been easier to defend against. Instead, it was pain that coursed along his tongue and poured from his mouth, and it made her blood feel like ice water in her veins. Leo was hurting. She did that to him. A dull ache spread through her, and she looked back at her little brother with her eyes burning. "No! Gods, Leo! I don't understand what you're talking about!" How could he ever think that she could be consciously cruel to him?  
  
    The churning in her gut intensified when the light seemed to snuff from Leo's eyes. His face went rigid, then cold, and he sat back hard in the chaise. She could hear him trying his level best to control his breathing. Corrin stood before she could stop herself. "I would _never_ mock you."  
  
    She watched his throat bob around a hard swallow, and he looked away from her. "Of course not. Forgive me, sister. That was beneath me." His words were so flat and innocuous, but Corrin could feel the panic start to blind her. Her entire face went numb. She could practically see him barricading himself behind a hard shell, retreating from her for good.  
  
    Terror devoured her from the inside out. Corrin could see the future stretch out before her, and she knew that if she didn't fix it now, Leo would never trust her again.  
  
    He thought she teased him with the affection Camilla didn't offer and taunted him with lewd books.  
  
    He thought she was mocking him.  
  
    Corrin didn't know what else to do. She dropped her knee on the table and nearly collapsed on top of him, her shaking hands cupping Leo's face. His lips were trembling when she kissed him.  
  
    His hands came to grip at both her elbows, but he didn't push her away. His entire body was still as stone beneath her, only the rapid sounds of his breathing betraying that he was still alive.  
  
    The edges of the library were so blurry that Corrin wasn't sure this wasn't another dream. She pulled away from him, her fingertips hovering over Leo's jaw and her forehead touching his own.  
  
    Feeling seeped back into her. She could feel her heart thundering in her throat. She had done it. She had likely just ruined her relationship with him permanently.  
  
    Gods. Corrin gasped for air and groped for the floor with one foot to flee like her life depended on it. She found herself held fast as Leo's hands clutched at her hips, and he surged up to kiss her.  
  
    Her fingers slid around to cup the back of his neck. He was so warm. His grip was wavering and afraid and needy, and she wanted to hold him to her chest for hours.  
  
    This time, Leo broke it, and she lived for the tiny inhale of breath he took. The pad of her thumb traced the shape of his cheek. "Leo," she murmured. "I love you."  
  
    His hands twitched at the small of her back. She wanted to push them lower.  
  
    "I love you too, sister." Even as he said it, Leo winced.  
  
    Corrin's entire mouth felt dry with want. "It's okay," she whispered. Her knee slid from the table onto the chaise, pinning him beneath her as she cradled his face in her hands. She lifted, gently, coaxing his jaw up and dragging her lips against his own again and again. Her hands slid further, drawing him away from the chaise, gripping him to her chest and holding him as tightly as she could.  
  
    "Leo," she breathed. She loved his name so much. She loved him so much that it threatened to consume her from the inside out. Corrin kissed the fragile lids of his eyes and grazed the tips of her fingers down the back of his neck. He was so beautiful, with his pale lashes and his silky skin and flawless hands. Her sweet, crabby Cancer.  
  
    The thorns in her belly poisoned her with the sting of regret. She buried her face in his hair. "I'm so sorry, Leo."  
  
    It couldn't have been enough that Corrin had to fall. Now she was taking him with her, pulling him down and ensnaring him in the sinful blossom she'd tended inside herself. He deserved better. He deserved a sister who didn't look at him and think about what his hands might feel like on her skin.  
  
    She was surprised to feel fingers winding through her hair, and Leo tugged her down. He held her tight, his mouth hot and insistent against her own as he kissed her.  
  
    Abruptly, Corrin found herself reminded that it was a mistake to believe herself so alluring that Leo was helpless to it. His other hand remained swelteringly hot against her hip, his thumb tracing the curve of the bone. He made her stomach quake. Corrin pressed harder against him, her body blazing.  
  
    Perhaps it wasn't accurate to claim she'd dragged him anywhere at all. Her darling Leo was not helpless. No. Leo saw her at her lowest and most base. He saw her mired in the crevice of her desire for him.  
  
    And he leaped after her.

  
-

 

    The rain that hovered so stubbornly in the distance had finally decided to lay siege to the castle. While the rest of her family -- and her retainers, for that matter -- remained holed up in the safety of the fortress, Corrin sat herself on a stone bench in the middle of the courtyard and enjoyed it.  
  
    She'd been so annoyed, at first. She had wished for better timing. If such a storm was going to grace the fortress anyway, she would have liked for it to come before her siblings had left the last time. But given Elise's fever, Corrin found herself glad that they'd been at home instead, where she had access to the care she needed.  
  
    Besides, the rain might yet keep them there. Corrin would appreciate that.  
  
    She'd been outside for almost a half hour when she was discovered. Corrin turned on the little bench and pushed a dripping lock of hair from her eyes. Leo looked terribly grumpy there beneath the archway leading into the garden, his arms wound hard around his waist and his hair already beginning to cling to his face. "What on earth are you doing out here?"  
  
    Despite his rather incredulous tone, Leo took the spot beside her. He was already shivering from the cold. Gently, she rolled her shoulders and tilted her head back. "Just enjoying the storm." By now, she was soaked to the bone, but she hardly minded when that had been the point. Honestly, she enjoyed it save the fact that her dress was so heavy that the buttons trailing along the entire length of it dug into her a bit. She looked over to Leo and pushed her hair away from her neck. "Are you okay?"  
  
    "I'm _wet_." Leo looked like a cranky house cat as he pointed this out. He tightened his arms and glanced up only briefly before he looked back at her. "I'm fine. Are you?"  
  
    She peered at him a little oddly. "Of course. Why?"  
  
    Leo scoffed. "As dramatic and romantic a picture this makes, I can't imagine why someone would choose to be out here. ...It's cold."  
  
    "Oh." Corrin stifled a laugh and held her arm out. The rain drummed an erratic beat against the pale strip of skin along her forearm. "You think so? I think it feels nice."  
  
    "Nice?" He sounded a little dubious again and frowned at her. "It feels like needles. Though I suppose you wouldn't find it cold. You run like a furnace."  
  
    She found herself chuckling again and let her hands drop to her lap. "Does it bother you?" Leo fell silent. After a bit, he scooted closer to her on the bench until their arms were nearly touching.  
  
    "No," he said.  
  
    Thunder rolled across the sky. Corrin savored the low rumble, her eyes fluttering shut as rain water dripped from her lashes. She'd loved the rain since she was young, so long as it wasn't preventing her siblings from an overdue visit. Then again, had it not, last night may never have happened.  
  
    Corrin opened her eyes and let them drift along the curve of Leo's jaw. Rain sluiced down his flushed cheeks and his pursed lips. She found herself tempted to kiss his frown away, but her courage had deserted her. Neither of them had spoken of what happened between them, and she wasn't confident she had the guts to be the one to bring it up first.  
  
    Leo remained oblivious to her musing. He was still staring intently at her face. "Seriously." A soft frown marred his lips. "Why are you really out here?"  
  
    His tone surprised her. He seemed worried, though it was tinged with something else that sounded distinctly like nerves.  
  
    Corrin leaned forward and peeled her hair over one shoulder, bending towards the wet grass and closing her eyes. "I told you. I promise I don't have any ulterior motives. I just like the way rain feels. I guess I am a bit of a furnace. I like the way it feels rolling down the back of my neck." She regarded him once more and cocked her head. "You know, I'm kind of surprised that _you're_ so surprised. I always do this."  
  
    He lifted his pale brows at her. "Do you?"  
  
    "Mmhm." She offered him an adoring smile. "I just don't do it as often when everyone's visiting. I prefer to spend time with you while I can."  
  
    "...I see."  
  
    Maybe he thought she'd been avoiding him. Corrin endured yet another pang of guilt and leaned closer to him. "Is something wrong? You can tell me anything, Leo. Even if you're afraid you'll hurt my feelings." As she said it, Corrin's heart began to steel itself for him to do just that. She was terrified he would ask her to forget last night had ever happened. But, as much as she dreaded to hear it, if Leo were to make such a request, then she would try her hardest to honor it regardless of how she felt. Forgetting should have been easy enough for her, after all. She'd done a lot of that throughout her life.  
  
    She saw Leo dip his head in a slow nod from the corner of her eye. He sighed deeply.  
  
    Corrin swallowed and turned away from him. It was obviously bothering him. Of course it was. "I'm sorry I'm such an irresponsible sister, Leo." She curled up on the bench, drawing her bare feet onto the smooth stone surface and pressing her nails into the dip between her knee and her calves. "I'm not sure what we should do," she admitted.  
  
    As soon as she did, she realized that she was being dishonest. She knew exactly what they _should_ do. A responsible sister would bury her selfish want until it suffocated to death. A responsible sister would have already done that long ago. A responsible sister would not have kissed him in the first place.  
  
    A responsible sister wouldn't be dying to kiss him again right now.  
  
    Sharply, Corrin shook her head and dropped her feet to the ground. She had a lot of nerve claiming that she was unaware of what obligation dictated that she do next. She took a deep breath and faced him once more, but the words died on her lips as she felt Leo's hand shift. He turned it over, slowly, his knuckles brushing against her thigh as he held his palm open.  
  
    His hands were so fucking exquisite. She'd never seen another man with hands so perfect. His skin was soft, his nails perfectly manicured and smooth. She could watch them move for hours when he practiced the delicate motions of spellwork. They were nothing like hers: blunt and inelegant and calloused, with ragged nails and torn cuticles.  
  
    She took it anyway. Her hand shook a bit as she slid her fingers between Leo's own. His skin was frigid. Poor Leo was freezing to death, and she was overcome with the desire to warm him. Instead, she gripped his hand tightly.  
  
    Her darling brother looked so uncertain. "Corrin..." His eyes held hers. "I don't want to forget."  
  
    Her heart swelled inside her. With his hand still clasped in her own, Corrin pressed forward, tilting her head and kissing him softly. Like this, she could feel him shaking all the more. He was so cold. "I don't want to either," she whispered.  
  
    She broke her grip on his hand and reached up to push his soaked hair back from his forehead. Again she kissed him, over and over, tasting rainwater on his skin and desire on his tongue. The way he gripped at her back made her ache. His fingers curled into the soaked fabric of her dress so tightly that parts of it peeled back from her skin. She wanted him to strip it off her entirely.  
  
    "Leo," she breathed. Her thumbs skated along his cheekbones as her fingertips traced the backs of his ears. "I love you so much."  
  
    His hands were so cold, but his face was hot beneath her touch, flushed red and beautiful. "I love you too," he murmured. "Gods. For so long...I thought you'd think me disgusting."  
  
    She pressed her lips to Leo's chin and down his jaw until she found his neck. He was so warm here too as she nuzzled him, the tip of her nose tracing lines between the drops of rain that dappled his skin. Corrin could feel his heart racing, and she planted a delicate kiss to his pulse point.  
  
    She was so hungry for more.  
  
    Swiftly, Corrin sat up and took Leo's hands into her own. His entire body was wracked with shivers. "Let's get you inside. You're going to catch your death of cold."  
  
    For a split second, she was afraid Leo was going to turn her down. He was looking at her strangely, a combination of lust and confusion shifting over his face. "You know that's a myth, right?"  
  
    She stared at him.  
  
    Leo flushed when the implication of her invitation evidently made impact, and he dropped his gaze. "Er- yes. Please."  
  
    Corrin snorted and stood up from the bench, though she leaned down to press her lips between his eyes. She helped him up, then, his pale hands slipping into her own. "Do you want to come to my room with me?" Leo nodded slowly.  
  
    She very nearly dragged him to her bedroom.

  
-

 

    She may as well have not gone out into the rain at all. Corrin had been so blessedly cool under the fall, but here, in her bedroom, Leo's skin nearly burned against her. The fire blazed beside them as strongly as she did, banishing the chill from his bones as she sprawled on top of him. The more she indulged, the more she fancied steam would begin to rise from her overheated skin.  
  
    It was _everything_.  
  
    With every drag of her lips along his bare chest, her hips rocked into him, knees tight against the rug and her fingers buried in his wet hair. The surreality of bringing her guilt-ridden dreams to life was not lost on Corrin. It only made her regret that she had ever turned her back on him when she could have borne witness to the way his beautiful face twisted in pleasure with each lazy thrust. Truth be told, Corrin had no idea how anyone could expect her to be moved by anyone else. Her younger brother was exquisite beyond compare.  
  
    Smoothly, Corrin arched her back, lifting away from him and reaching for her dress. Her skin itched with sweat as much as with rain water, and the thin panels of cotton clung to her body like a second skin. As much as she had anticipated the inevitable embarrassment of exposing herself, she was far too ravenous to feel it. She opened her dress at the middle, her nails plucking at each and every button until the ends split apart around her and draped against her sides.  
  
    Leo went still beneath her. A strangled noise left him that delighted the hell out of her, and his hand tightened against her bare side. She had, admittedly, never found her breasts to be anything special, but apparently Leo did. She reached for his wrist, bringing one of his hands up to her lips and kissing the pads of each of his fingers.  
  
    She coaxed it a little lower and pressed his palm along the curve of her breast. Leo went stiff again, and her eyes jerked towards his face. "Are...you sure?" he asked with a swallow. He was so red. His hair was a wet, tousled mess that clung to his cheeks. Corrin wanted to make him look like that all the time, so disheveled and overwhelmed with need.  
  
    She leaned forward into his touch and bent down until she could lace her lips with his own. "I'm sure. You can touch me anywhere."  
  
    Leo offered her a stuttering nod. She felt a full-bodied shudder grip her as his thumb traced her breast. The pad of it slid from the soft crease along her rib and skated along the swell of it, passing over her nipple and up to her clavicle. She had never expected his touch to be so reverent, but she adored it more than she could express. While Leo touched his fill, she took his other hand and held it to her cheek to enjoy the blissful heat of his palm.  
  
    Satisfaction seeped down into her very bones. Every moment rocked her world. She'd never experienced anything like this, this first hit of a craving that had plagued her for years, sitting at the back of her tongue, desperate and wanting and bereft. Corrin clutched tightly at Leo's forearms, closing her eyes and rolling her hips with another sigh.  
  
    His cock was hard and hot between her legs. Just seeing the shape of it trapped beneath his smalls made her mouth water. She thrust against it with long, desperate strokes of her hips, following the entire length of it. It was so, so good. She felt as if ecstasy ran through her very blood, from the tips of her ears to the ends of her toes. "Gods," she gasped, and she held Leo's arms all the harder.  
  
    Sweat dripped down her neck. She tilted her head, snarls of wet hair spilling along her back. Her hips jerked against him faster, harder, swinging a desperate rhythm against his body. She wanted to feel his bare skin, to feel the heat and the texture of his cock beneath her. She wanted to feel it inside her.  
  
    "L- Leo..." His name coursed along her tongue like a moan. 'L' tasted so sweet in her mouth. Like lust. Lascivious. Lurid.  
  
    Love.  
  
    Corrin gasped and bent over him, her nails biting into his skin. She came with her clit grinding hard against him, shivers racing up and down her spine. But even as her post-coital bliss enveloped her, Corrin wanted more. She had always believed that to satisfy one craving would be enough; she hadn't fathomed that it would simply be replaced by another.  
  
    "A- ah!" A shocked noise escaped her as Leo tugged her down, his hips thrusting up beneath her so hard they came up from the floor. The feeling of his mouth closing over her breast made her feel like she could come a second time just letting him play with her chest. The way he moaned against her skin made her lust boil.  
  
    He let go of her and collapsed on his back once more. Leo enthralled her constantly, but he looked especially breathtaking in the throes of an orgasm. Corrin stroked his hair back from his forehead and leaned down to kiss him.  
  
    She felt utterly ruined.  
  
    It was indescribable. Nothing had ever prepared her for how good it would feel to sin with such enthusiasm. Wrong it may have been, but Corrin found that she didn't mind it. Leo condensed the world around her until it was just the two of them. The dreariness of the Northern Fortress and the loneliness of silence were reduced to nothing when she could lose herself in his presence, whether it be his body or their books.  
  
    She wanted to do it again. Asking for forgiveness seemed easier than suffering in piety. She wanted Leo, and Leo wanted her.  
  
    Fortunately for her, Leo was wonderfully obliging. Before the moon crested the very heights of the sky, she was sure she had explored every inch of his naked body. Corrin kissed him absolutely everywhere, from his lips to his neck to his navel to the delicate bones of his ankles. She even surprised the hell out of them both by coaxing him to arousal just from sucking at his chest as he'd done for her.  
  
    Corrin wanted to spoil every part of him to make up for all the years he'd been so starved of touch. For so long, he'd been a wilting flower, abandoned in the shade. She wanted to bring him to blossom, and he came alive beneath her fingers and her mouth. She got between his knees to take his cock into her mouth, feeling the weight of him on her tongue.  
  
    But as much as she wanted to dote on him, Leo was hardly content to let her do the sexual heavy lifting alone. He caged her up against her book shelf and sank down, drawing one of her legs over his shoulder. Leo bathed her in attention with slow, broad strokes of his tongue, reducing her to a litany of moans and gasps for air.  
  
    When they finally collapsed into bed, Corrin felt entirely wrung out. She only barely had the presence of mind to lock the door lest her retainers tried to wake her in the morning and be scandalized for life. Or their other siblings, for that matter.  
  
    She clutched Leo close to her and was charmed to find him lying with his cheek pressed to her chest. It was strange to see him like this, but Corrin loved it. She drew the covers over his bare shoulders and let her fingernails glide along his back.  
  
    He fell asleep in only minutes. With a soft chuckle, Corrin kissed the top of his head. She joined him shortly, her body heavy with exhaustion and her arms loose around her brother.  
  
    For once, she did not dream of anything at all.

  
-

  
    The remainder of their visit passed by in a hot blur. Corrin was only barely aware of what day it was. Had Felicia not mentioned it, she would not have realized that this was it: today was the day before they left her. Corrin wasn't ready for it, but she knew protesting would be a waste of her time and her breath. It was a wonder their father even let them visit her so often at all.  
  
    She didn't allow herself to dwell on it, but even when it wasn't actively on her mind, the sadness crouched over her and bore down on her shoulders as substantial and heavy as hands. She missed them before they had even left. She missed Leo.  
  
    Carefully, Corrin dipped her brush into the dark bottle of oil beside her and pushed the bristles against the rounded edge of the rim. The excess oozed up from between them and dripped back down into the bottle. When she was satisfied, she tilted her hand and dragged the brush along the cracked surface of the book. It was so old that the leather was worn, especially around the spine. She painted a coat of the oil over the surface, thinner than the paper inside its binding, until the leather was dark and smooth again.  
  
    This had been a project of hers since she'd found the little tome buried in a shelf in one of the corners. It was obviously in disrepair, a few of its pages loose and crammed between the others, the leather slightly cracked and plagued with dust. Corrin felt compelled to restore it. It was the very first spell book Leo had ever used when he started learning magic, and she couldn't help but think he would appreciate the nostalgia it offered. Or, if nothing else, he might like to be reminded of how much he'd grown as a mage.  
  
    She'd glued the loose pages back, smoothed out bent corners and repaired the leather as much as she could. She'd even replaced one of the metal clips decorating the spine that had come loose. While it certainly didn't look brand new, it did look much better than when she found it. Corrin was proud of her efforts, and she hoped that Leo would like it.  
  
    Luckily for her, she didn't have to wait long. Leo let himself into the library looking tired, but he perked up visibly when he saw his sister there on the sofa. She smiled for him, her heart fluttering like a caged bird. Knowing that she had to let him go in the morning stung sharply, but she was determined to enjoy him while she could. As soon as he eased down beside her, Corrin held his face and kissed him deeply.  
  
    "Are you okay?" She sat back and offered him a mild frown. His body seemed lined with exhaustion, and she felt a stab of guilt for keeping him up  at such ungodly hours -- while doing such ungodly things to him, no less.  
  
    "I am. We were just packing. It was a chore," he admitted. He leaned against her as she tugged the hem of his shirt up and dragged her nails along the small of his back. He had taken to her affection like a fish to water. Or, more accurately, a crab. Sweet Elise was the fish of their family, her adorable Pisces. Corrin had always enjoyed that her siblings were such fine representatives of all three water signs. Only Camilla held fire inside her, a resplendent Sagittarian princess to her water-dwelling siblings.  
  
    Leo shifted against her. "What is that?"  
  
    "Hm?" She followed his gaze to the book she'd been working on. "Oh. Look familiar?" Corrin smiled to herself and reached for the table, taking the book into her hands and presenting it to him. "I can't really say it's from me to you when it was already yours. I found it a few weeks ago."  
  
    Leo was stunned into silence. He accepted the tome into his hands, peering over it front and back as if he weren't entirely sure it was the same book he thought it to be. With great care, he opened it up and rifled through the pages. "Gods, this is...this is really my old tome. I can't believe you found it. You fixed it?"  
  
    She nodded. "I did! I know you probably don't really need to, but it is usable if you felt like it. I did some research on restoring books and gave it a go. Do you like it?"  
  
    Her eyes followed his fingertips as they passed over one of the yellowed pages. The crease in the corner was still visible where she'd smoothed it out, but at least it was flat. Leo took in a sharp breath and swung to face her, his free hand cupping her jaw as he kissed her. He looked so overcome that Corrin was taken aback.  
  
    "I...don't know what to say. Thank you, Corrin."  
  
    Her lips pulled into a sweet smile, and she let her thumb glide along the edge of his jaw. "You're welcome." She was so glad she was able to finish before he left. She'd wanted to give it to him before she had to go another few weeks without him, and his reaction made all the effort worth it.  
  
    The reminder brought a mourning that seeped low in her stomach. "...I don't want you to go," she murmured. Leo's hand slipped to the side of her neck and brushed her hair over her shoulder.  
  
    "I know. I'm sorry." He certainly looked it. Corrin felt terrible for making him feel bad when it was hardly his fault. She may have been the only one physically trapped, but Leo was every bit as much a prisoner to the whims of their father.  
  
    "It's okay," she promised. "I'm just selfish, and I like having you to myself."  
  
    They both fell silent. Leo handed her the book so she could put it back on the table, and they sat together to listen to the crackle of the fire. It was so late in the evening that everyone else ought be turning in soon. This would be her last chance.  
  
    "Leo," she started. She was dying to fuck him properly before they left. They'd come tantalizingly close the night before, but it still wasn't enough. She still remembered how his cock felt between her thighs, sliding along her labia and teasing her clit. She remembered the frustration of wanting more.  
  
    Corrin swallowed and cradled either side of his pale neck. There wasn't really a better way to say it. "I want to fuck you," she told him. He went scarlet beneath her, his neck growing hot against her palms.  
  
    "I-" He stopped. Speaking of it proved challenging for Leo, but Corrin hardly blamed him. It was easy to just _do_. Talking about it made it real. He sighed and pushed his forehead against hers. "We can't. Gods, it's not like I don't want to, but..."  
  
    She turned away from him and felt Leo's lips press against her temple. She had guessed he would say that. They'd already spoken awkwardly around the fact that the last thing either of them wanted was physical proof of what they were doing, and the fortress hardly had an abundance of protection.  
  
    Still.  
  
    Her eyes found the bottle of oil, the glass shining a golden amber in the fire. Slowly, the vines started winding through her, leeching the moisture from her mouth. She felt like they had gradually replaced her veins, leaving her heavy and sensitive and strangely earthy. "Yes, we can," she told him.  
  
    She felt Leo's lips purse into a frown against her skin. "I don't understand."  
  
    With a soft chuckle, Corrin whispered it into his ear. Part of her was afraid he would recoil from her. Leo wanted so badly to be recognized for his worldliness, but he was a lot more proper than he cared to admit. She feared that he would be disgusted by the very idea of it.  
  
    She'd never been so thrilled to be wrong in her life.  
  
    A gasp burst from her throat as Leo pinned her to the shelf behind her. Her grip tightened on the bottle clutched in her fingers, and she slid her other hand beneath the hem of his pants. He was already stiff and hot, his skin feverish against her palm. Corrin had no idea Leo would be so enthusiastic about such a sordid suggestion. She absolutely didn't regret offering it.  
  
    Leo's hands came up beneath her skirt, pushing it up around her waist and sliding his thumbs beneath the band of her panties. They came away from her with a smooth tug and collapsed at her feet until she kicked them away with only half a mind. Her heart was positively racing. Every brush of Leo's hands on her lifted it higher and higher until it thrummed in her throat.  
  
    It pulsed harder as she was flipped around, her fingers digging into one of the shelves. She felt the fabric of her skirt drape over her waist and pool against the fronts of her thighs. Cold air bit at the backs of her legs and her ass, but Corrin found that she enjoyed it. It felt all the dirtier, and it was better for it. Flowers thrived in the dirt, after all. Shivers stole down her legs to buzz at her ankles, but Leo's hands were so warm on her. He seemed to savor her, his palms rolling along the plush skin of her backside. He even let one of his fingertips trace lines between the little constellation of freckles on the side of her bottom.  
  
    Leo paused then, and his fingers skated along the bones of her hips to squeeze her. "Are you sure you want this?" he asked, his voice heavy with uncertainty. Corrin peered at him over her shoulder and nodded firmly.  
  
    "I want _you_."  
  
    She leaned back into him, her back pressing tight against his chest. His erection settled along the cleft of her bottom, and she pushed back all the harder, relishing in the heat and texture of his bare skin. His lips grazed the side of her neck and the tender lobe of her ear until a soft moan plumed hot between her lips. "I want you too," he breathed.  
  
    The bottle disappeared from between her fingers. Leo pulled away from her, leaving her cold and bereft until she felt one of his hands clutch at her backside. Corrin inhaled sharply as two of his fingers pushed against her. Tension seized her at once. Her body jumped beneath his touch, but Leo was excruciatingly patient. His fingertips rolled against her, massaging with painstaking care until her body slowly began to unwind beneath him. As much as she wanted this, it was hard not to let her anxiety get the better of her.  
  
    Corrin's stomach bottomed out as Leo began to push. Both fingers slid deep inside her until his last knuckles were flush against her skin. She pressed her forehead against the books lining the shelves while her body trembled against him. It was so bizarre, but it was strangely satisfying to her, and Corrin was willing to push herself for more. Her hips strained backwards in the hopes that Leo would indulge her.  
  
    As though he could read her mind, Leo did. She felt like an utter mess as he spoiled her, his hands as gentle as if she were glass. It stunned her down to her toes to realize that it almost felt the same as when he'd fucked her with his fingers. The same heat spread between her legs and up through her belly. The longer he spent, the more she craved until a plaintive gasp erupted from her. "Leo," she gasped, "I want it."  
  
    He didn't tease her any longer. She heard the sinful sounds of his hand on his cock in his rush to smooth more oil over it. Her throat was so dry she felt like she had swallowed cotton, and lust simmered in her so intensely she was light-headed with it. But that fuzzy disconnect severed the instant the head of his cock slid against her quivering body. Her toes curled hard. Corrin's lips fell open, her nails digging into the wood of the shelf.  
  
    Leo gripped her skirt to her stomach and thrust into her. The breath left her in staccato pants, growing thinner with every inch that filled her. Her body spasmed around him, her back nearly numb with the shivers that rocked up and down it like lightning. It hurt and it stretched and Corrin had never experienced anything like it.  
  
    She was startled as Leo's mouth latched around the side of her neck. His hand was tight against her stomach, shaking a bit and fisting into the material of her dress. The other lifted up, and he pinched the gathered band of her neckline to yank it down beneath her breasts.  
  
    Corrin was entirely undone. His hips rocked against her ass, one of his hands hot against her breast, her nipple caught between two of his knuckles. Every thrust, every touch, every breath that melted against her neck was overwhelming. She choked on her own pleasure, her little brother's name blistering the inside of her mouth. She never wanted to dream of anything else. She lived for the uncomfortable stretch, the burn of ecstasy, the smell of leather and sweat heavy in her nose.  
  
    She pushed forward, the tip of her nose brushing along the spine of a book while Leo did the same to her throat. "T- Touch me," she begged. He let go of her breast and reached down to do as she asked. His hands were simply too much for her. His fingertips were like silk against her as they rolled against her clit, and a bone-melting moan burst from her.  
  
    The overload of sensation proved to be more than she could handle. Corrin threw her head back against his shoulder, her hands coming away from the shelves to clutch wildly at his arms. Her orgasm thundered through her, rippling all the way to the tips of her fingers and making her quake. He held her tightly through it, his arms coming around her waist and holding her steady.  
  
    Corrin inhaled a little desperately. His erection was still hard inside her, and she would be damned before she left him unsatisfied. She reached behind her, twisting her arm and clutching at his bicep. "Keep going."  
  
    Leo did. He rocked into her, his lips grazing against her shoulder and neck. It took only a few more thrusts before she heard him moan in her ear. His fingers went tight as wires against her hips, and he came with his forehead pressed to the back of her neck.  
  
    She stiffened as she felt his cock withdraw from her, and she collapsed against the shelf. It tired her more than she'd been ready for. Her ass ached, but Corrin sort of liked the feeling of it. She pulled Leo down to the floor with her and dropped her head back.  
  
    They were both silent, save their ragged bids for air. Corrin was so tired she didn't notice that her chest was still bare until Leo cleared his throat and pulled the hem back over her breasts. She snorted in amusement.  
  
    "Such a gentleman."  
  
    Leo made a face at her, but the furrow between his brows smoothed away when she cupped his face and kissed him. When she pulled away, Leo frowned softly. "I'm not sure that's the word I'd use right now."  
  
    "No?" She laughed and nuzzled at the side of his neck. "I would."  
  
    His arms wound around her, and he shifted until he could lean against the shelf with her in his lap. "Did it hurt?"  
  
    Corrin shrugged and closed her eyes. "A little."  
  
    He was quiet for a moment. One of his palms moved to glide up and down the smooth plane of her back. "I'm sorry," he told her.  
  
    "Don't be." She sat up in a fluid motion and kissed him soundly. "I want to do it again in five minutes."  
  
    Leo flushed red, earning another delighted peal of laughter from Corrin. She loved him so fucking much it hurt. Despite his embarrassment, he pulled her close and pinned her beneath him.  
  
    It was a comfort to know that he wanted to make the most of their last night together as much as she did. Corrin closed her eyes and held him tight. They had a while til morning.

  
-

  
    The only thing that kept her from feeling like her stomach had turned to ash was the soreness between her legs. Corrin stood with her head held high, ignoring the twinge of her ass as she watched her siblings prepare to leave.  
  
    A hand came around her elbow, and Corrin turned to see Leo standing over her. Her heart jumped, and she swung around to face him. To her shock, Leo embraced her tightly, drawing her to his chest and putting his lips to her neck.  
  
    She held him back as if he would disappear forever.  
  
    "I'm going to miss you," she whispered to him.  
  
    "I know." He lingered there, his cheek pressed flush to her shoulder. "I'll miss you too."  
  
    "Write to me?"  
  
    Finally, Leo let go of her and gazed down at her with a tiny frown. "Of course," he said. He clearly did not appreciate the suggestion that he would neglect to do so.  
  
    Corrin indulged in an impish smile. "Dirty letters?"  
  
    "Wh-" Leo reared back in offense. "No."  
  
    She tittered at him. "Not even for me?"  
  
    Silence lapsed over him as he scowled at her. "...I'll consider it," he conceded, not a little grudgingly. Corrin laughed.  
  
    "I'll take that."  
  
    Leo looked away from her. She followed his gaze to see him eyeing their siblings, but before she looked back at him, she felt his lips on her cheek. Corrin turned back to him in surprise. "Goodbye, Corrin."  
  
    Her stomach twisted. "...Goodbye, Leo."  
  
    She walked him to the front gate where the others were waiting, and her eyes never left him until she could no longer see him.  
  
    Something hot pricked at the back of her eyes.  
  
    "Leo," she breathed.  
  
    A joyous skip of her tongue between her teeth.  
  
    A smile.  
  
    A kiss goodbye.


End file.
